Nearly all of our highlanders, from youth upward, show an amazing fondness for theological dispute. This consists mainly in capping texts, instead of with reasoning, with the single-minded purpose of confusing or downing an opponent. Into this battle of memories rather than wits the most worthless scapegrace will enter with keen gusto and perfect seriousness. I have known two or three hundred mountain lumber-jacks, hard-swearing and hard-drinking tough-as-they-make-'ems, to be whetted to a fighting edge over the rocky problem "Was Saul damned?" (Can a suicide enter into the kingdom of heaven?)
(from Our Southern Highlanders, by Horace Kephart)
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